House Hunters has landed in Australia for the first time, and TV personality Georgie Tunny is the voice behind the series. Georgie is narrating the new series, which follows Australian couples as they tour three homes and hopefully land on their dream residence.
However, having recently bought her first place and regularly reporting on the housing crisis for The Project, Georgie knows firsthand just how challenging the market really is. In an interview with Chattr, she said that she hopes that the cast’s journeys on House Hunters Australia can help potential buyers in the real world.
“I hope people see it as something that is a bit hopeful at this time, because it is really hard, there’s no getting away from it. The housing market right now is abysmal for so many people trying to crack in. It’s so stressful, and it really isn’t even an option for a lot of people.
“I hope that people can watch this series, and maybe get a renewed sense of hope — that ‘hang on a second, maybe that can be in my future. If I go through that, what would I do or not do? What mistakes would I try not to make?'”
“Essentially, because it just is really disheartening at the moment. So I think that [House Hunters Australia] can offer a bit of escapism, but also some real-world tips too.”
Georgie Tunny’s advice for home buyers
Georgie and her fiance, Rob Mills bought their first home together in Melbourne in 2021, and Georgie called the process a “second full time job”.
“I’m 34, so I grew up never thinking that I would get into the property market. I actually didn’t think I’d ever be able to afford a house,” she said.
“I remember it being a really stressful time. I wish we had a little bit more fun with it, and maybe even had a bit more patience, too. There was definitely a sense of we’ve got to get in, otherwise we’ll never be able to get in. And while that may have been true, I wish we had taken a few more breaths to think about exactly what we were looking for in a house.”
Among the houses that potential House Hunters Australia buyers visit are plenty of fixer-uppers—houses that have potential but need maintenance work and renovations.
Georgie said that from her own home-buying experience, she’d recommend buyers to evaluate the costs and time that goes into houses that aren’t key turns.
“Something I’ve learned through our own house hunting experience, but through the show too, is really to think about whether or not you want to commit to a fixer-upper, and think about realistically what can be done.
“Especially at the moment, building costs, everything has just gotten astronomically expensive, and I don’t see it going down anytime soon. It just seems to be all demand and not really so much supply right now.”
Georgie reflected on the toll renovating her own fixer-upper has taken over the years.
“When we bought our property, we were definitely future-focused, being like, ‘Oh yes, in a few years, we could do this. We could extend here. It has so much potential’, and it does.
“But then, you add a few years down the track and find out whether or not it’s realistic anymore that you can actually afford to do all the things that you dreamt of — financially or even just emotionally, the time and money and energy that goes into that, it can be really it can be really hard.”
We’re sure Georgie will have some invaluable input as a narrator if any of the House Hunters Australia buyers decide on a fixer-upper!
House Hunters Australia premieres on Sunday, May 11 at 8:15pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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